Cole’s Corner: 2024 Cornerback Prospect Rankings

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29. Willie Roberts – Louisiana Tech                                                   

Roberts is an outside corner with strong awareness in zone coverage, allowing him to quickly react to screens and attack. He is aggressive yet gets his head turned and tracks the ball well. His recognition skills are an asset, but his gambling tendencies can be costly. Roberts has a choppy redirect which slows him down and he lacks physicality due to his lean build.

Player Comparison: Keisean Nixon / Dee Delaney

Projection: 7^th Round – UDFA

Best Fits: New Orleans, Denver, Kansas City (Wild Card – Tennessee)

28. Dwight McGlothern – Arkansas                                                   

McGlothern is a true outside corner with great length, powerful hands and a solid punch. In press man coverage he can jam up a receiver. McGlothern is a fluid mover, undercuts routes well and also has respectable ball skills. He has the ability to shadow and when in zone he closes quickly after the ball has been released. McGlothern likes to gamble and at times gives up some big plays. He needs to get better about being smart with his cushion distance and he needs some work in the trail position.

Player Comparison: CJ Henderson / Alontae Taylor

Projection: 5^th – 7^th Round

Best Fits: Cincinnati, Buffalo, Los Angeles Chargers (Wild Card – Dallas)

27. Myles Jones – Duke                                                                           

Jones is a tall, 6’4” outside corner. He has the length to easily high point the football and he displays great coordination in the air. Jones trusts his eyes and his reactions to get to the ball are good. He is talented in the trail position and is an ideal matchup against big wide receivers. Jones does have some struggles in zone and is vulnerable to big plays by fast wide receivers. He lacks the elite speed scouts would like to see and he has the tendency to duck his head when tackling.

Player Comparison: Ifeatu Melifonwu / Benjamin St.-Juste

Projection: 7^th Round – UDFA

Best Fits: San Francisco, Detroit, Chicago (Wild Card – Pittsburgh)

26. Daequon Hardy – Penn State                                                       

Hardy is a true nickel/slot corner in this class. He is quick, agile and does well sticking to quick slot receivers. Hardy will provide special teams value, yet his low backpedal and quick turn combined with loose hips and an ability to shadow might get him on the field defensively a bit quicker than expected. When the ball is in the air, he breaks quickly to attack it. Hardy is small and does not bring any value on the outside. Hardy will also not bring much value in run support.

Player Comparison: Tiawon Mullen / Eric Garror

Projection: 5^th – 7^th Round

Best Fits: Atlanta, New York Giants, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Arizona)

25. Sheridan Jones – Clemson                                                             

Jones is best suited as an outside corner. He has loose hips, a solid backpedal and overall is simply a fluid mover. Jones has great ball skills and has flashed the ability to high point the football. He is a plus tackler but not overly physical. Jones plays a little too conservative to make a consistent impact. If he cleans up some technique, he could offer some value as depth.

Player Comparison: Darrell Luter Jr. / Kindle Vildor

Projection: 6^th Round – UDFA

Best Fits: Las Angeles Rams, Jacksonville, Denver (Wild Card – Philadelphia)

24. Andru Phillips – Kentucky                                                             

Phillips is a versatile corner with the ability to play inside or outside. He is very fast, agile and sticks tight to receivers. Phillips reads routes exceptionally well and then lets his burst and timing take over when the ball is in the air. He has natural balance which helps in man coverage. Phillips does well when matched up against tight ends and slot receivers. He has ball skills and his play recognition may be his biggest asset. Phillips is not super physical and for that reason will slip off of tackles. He might not be a shutdown corner, but he has value.

Player Comparison: Josh Jobe / Ambry Thomas

Projection: 3^rd– 5^th Round

Best Fits: Cincinnati, Arizona, Tennessee (Wild Card – Indianapolis)

23. Jaylin Simpson – Auburn                                                               

Simpson is a nickel corner with long arms and admirable athleticism. He has big hitter tendencies and reads the quarterback well before breaking to the ball. Simpson does best in press man coverage and can run with tight ends as well as running backs. He has some twitch but is a bit choppy and tense with his footwork. He does tend to gamble and get burnt. Simpson is sometimes so focused on stripping the football that he will miss on the tackle.

Player Comparison: Jack Jones / Darnay Holmes

Projection: 4^th– 6^th Round

Best Fits: Buffalo, Baltimore, Dallas (Wild Card – Green Bay)

22. Nehemiah Pritchett – Auburn 

Pritchett is an outside corner who excels in press man coverage. He is physical, explosive and has plenty of speed. He has enough downhill burst to be able to reduce down to nickel. Pritchett flashes some good ball skills and disrupts plays early. Sometimes he plays too conservative and double moves tend to catch him sleeping. In the trail position, Pritchett gets too handsy and is a bit slow to react. He needs to find a way to disengage from blocks faster as well.

Player Comparison: Troy Pride Jr. / Derion Kendrick

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Las Vegas, Jacksonville, New Orleans (Wild Card – Tennessee)

21. Chau Smith-Wade – Washington State                                   

Smith-Wade is an outside zone corner who put on an outstanding showing at the senior bowl this year. He recognizes and anticipates routes quickly and has outstanding ball skills. Smith-Wade’s quickness, tracking ability and natural instincts could result in him being a steal in this draft. He is also a pretty decent tackler as well. Smith-Wade could show some better vision against the run and can be a touch sluggish when transitioning to the ball. He is a smaller, lean outside corner and his athletic testing numbers are not off the charts outstanding.

Player Comparison: Brandin Echols / Tre Brown

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona, Los Angeles Rams (Wild Card – Houston)

20. Johnny Dixon – Penn State                                                             

Dixon is an outside corner with quick feet, the ability to break down as a tackler in space and he can also hold up quite well in man coverage. He has longer arms for his frame, looks fluid in his movements and has decent route recognition. Dixon is pretty strong in zone coverage and has had flashes of being a shutdown corner. Despite flashes, he lacks consistency and his grabby nature leads to drawn flags at a higher clip than desired. Dixon could also afford to get a touch stronger in order to battle with bigger wide receivers in the league.

Player Comparison: Cameron Brown / Kyu Blu Kelly

Projection: 5^th – 7^th Round

Best Fits: Pittsburgh, Chicago, Green Bay (Wild Card – Carolina)

19. Jarrian Jones – Florida State                                                       

Jones is another outside corner who happens to be dangerous with the ball in his hands. He does well at getting his head turned around and locating the ball, then his ball skills take over, allowing him to make the interception. Jones has solid anticipation skills and the ability to close to the ball quickly when in zone coverage. He is competitive and confident when matched up on the outside. This offseason he needs to work on cleaning up his footwork and could develop better route recognition skills. When in zone he can second guess his instincts and gets a bit hesitant.

Player Comparison: Artie Burns / Xavien Howard

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: New York Giants, Dallas, Philadelphia (Wild Card – Buffalo)

18. Kris Abrams-Draine – Missouri                                                     

Abrams-Draine has the versatility to play outside but may be best suited at nickel. He excels at mirroring underneath routes thanks to his quickness, low backpedal and change of direction abilities. Abrams-Draine has powerful hands, flashes tackling ability and closes to the ballcarrier quickly. His instincts are impressive which adds value against the run game. Due to his light frame, he may struggle trying to bring down large running backs. Abrams-Draine did not make too many big plays in college and sometimes his overaggressive nature can be taken advantage of in coverage.

Player Comparison: Mekhi Blackmon / Keitrel Clark

Projection: 2^nd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Arizona, Kansas City, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Cincinnati)

17. D.J. James – Auburn                                                                         

James fits best in a zone scheme and will likely be on the outside but may be able to play some slot. He has solid route recognition, recovers well when trailing and can make a break to the ball. James can mirror routes underneath, tracks fairly well and has good length. James can high point the football which allows him to bat down passes or make the interception. He is very light and lean which translates to him being a grab and drag tackler. James is sloppy and grabby at times and has the tendency to give too much cushion, conceding a lot of completions for 5-10 yards.

Player Comparison: Emmanuel Forbes / Ahkello Witherspoon

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Carolina, Jacksonville, New Orleans (Wild Card – Las Vegas)

16. Khyree Jackson – Oregon                                                               

Jackson is a true outside corner with length, a great frame and physicality. He is aggressive, a downhill tackler and his long strides allow him to cover ground quickly. Jackson has solid ball skills and can high point the football easily. His ability and size actually meant he was not targeted or tested a lot in college. Sometimes Jackson makes business decisions and backs down from blockers when he could choose to attack. He is better in press man coverage than zone because he gives too much cushion in zone. Sometimes he is shaky turning out of his backpedal due to his size.

Player Comparison: Tyson Campbell / Bryce Hall

Projection: 2^nd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Baltimore, Tennessee, San Francisco (Wild Card – Los Angeles Rams)

15. Max Melton – Rutgers                                                                       

Melton has the ability to either align outside or at nickel specifically because of his tackling ability, willingness in run support and his innate toughness. He displays good route recognition, has hand eye coordination and some impressive ball skills. Melton is agile which makes him dangerous on the blitz. He is tough, proficient in zone and offers some special teams value as well. Melton could use a little work in man coverage, has a sloppier backpedal and can be a touch sluggish in transition. If Melton can clean up his finishing on tackles, that would help as well.

Player Comparison: Tyrique Stevenson / Kyler Gordon

Projection: 2^nd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Denver, Detroit, Green Bay (Wild Card – New York Giants)

14. Cam Hart – Notre Dame                                                                   

Hart is one of the biggest outside corners in this class. He has a solid, long frame which helps in press man coverage. He is an athletic, fluid mover with flexibility and plenty of recovery speed. Hart reads routes well and happens to offer run support as a physical hitter. He also has no problem shedding defenders. Sometimes smaller, shifty receivers can give him some trouble and he tends to be a bit lazy with the fundamentals. If Hart could improve his vision and understand routes a bit better, then he may be able to see the field rather early in the NFL.

Player Comparison: JuJu Brents / Patrick Peterson

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Houston, Pittsburgh, Atlanta (Wild Card – Arizona)

13. Kamal Hadden – Tennessee                                                           

Hadden is a true outside corner that best suites a zone heavy scheme. He is long, fast and aware in the red zone. Hadden does well at taking away fades and he regularly manages to jump late throws. He has solid ball skills, jostles with big receivers and gets a straight-line jump on the ball right after reading the QB’s eyes. Hadden has some decent physicality but he does need to tighten angles in pursuit. He gets too handsy downfield which gets him beat or draws flags.

Player Comparison: Trevon Diggs / Kelee Ringo

Projection: 4^th – 6^th Round

Best Fits: Baltimore, Indianapolis, New York Giants (Wild Card – Philadelphia)

12. Caelen Carson – Wake Forest                                                       

Carson has the ability to play outside corner or nickel. He is phenomenal at getting his head turned and avoiding flags. Carson shows physicality as a hitter, has a true NFL frame and possesses outstanding instincts. He has natural balance and quick feet which lets him turn well in transition. Carson displays plenty of route recognition in both man and zone coverage. His fundamentals can seem a bit lazy at times and he can be a bit hesitant when in zone. This issue for Carson is that last season, he gave up too many big plays and opposing quarterbacks had a high QBR when targeting him.

Player Comparison: Garrett Williams / Andrew Booth Jr.

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Arizona, New Orleans, Chicago (Wild Card – Green Bay)

11. Josh Newton – TCU                                                                             

Newton is an excellent outside cover corner with smooth movements, decent speed and a natural stickiness when mirroring receivers. His anticipation and instincts are top notch and Newton happens to be very physical, jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. He wraps up well as a tackler which helps against the run. Newton lacks true closing instincts and is limited to coverage heavy schemes. His measurables are only average and his production in 2023 dropped off from 2022 when surrounded by better talent.

Player Comparison: Coby Bryant / Cobie Durant

Projection: 3^rd – 4^th Round

Best Fits: Jacksonville, Carolina, Houston (Wild Card – San Francisco)

10. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. – Missouri                                                   

Rakestraw does his best work when in press man coverage. Based on his smaller frame combined with quickness, it seems like he would best align at nickel. Rakestraw has a low backpedal with quick turn ability, lots of quickness and his lateral agility is impressive. He does well at breaking down receivers in space and shuts down throws underneath. He can close to the ball quickly and his awareness is sharp. Rakestraw is not the most willing tackler which limits some of what he can do. He needs some work on his technique and gets beat deep too often, conceding some big plays.

Player Comparison: Shaun Wade / Cam Smith

Projection: Late 1^st – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: Houston, New York Giants, Atlanta (Wild Card – Los Angeles Rams)

9. Mike Sainristil – Michigan 

Sainristil is a top tier nickel or slot corner. He is a thumper with elite blitzer skills. Sainristil can flip his hips and run, he has quick feet and has the ability to succeed in man or zone coverage. His instincts are exceptional, making his timing precise when arriving to the ball or ballcarrier. Sainristil’s change of direction is solid and despite only having average speed, it is adequate enough to hang with NFL talent. He is sometimes susceptible to big plays because he is not a true star corner. Sainristil is a playmaker with safety tendencies yet likes to play closer to the line of scrimmage.

Player Comparison: Clark Phillips III / Thomas Graham Jr.

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: Cincinnati, Detroit, Las Vegas (Wild Card – Los Angeles Chargers)

8. Kalen King – Penn State                                                                   

King was a highly rated corner back in the fall, that has seen his stock slide since the senior bowl. Even though he has had some struggles recently, King should be selected early on day three of the draft. He could serve as depth at outside corner, but a transition into nickel may be the best thing for his game. King is a ball hawk with excellent tracking ability. He attacks the ball in the air, closing on his target quickly. He possesses solid agility, has a quick twitch and is solid in man coverage. Despite having strong football IQ, King plays with some hesitation and is vulnerable to double moves. He lacks size and needs his technique refined in order to play on the outside.

Player Comparison: Jakorian Bennett / Riley Moss

Projection: 4^th – 5^th Round

Best Fits: New Orleans, Buffalo, Indianapolis (Wild Card – Denver)

7. T.J. Tampa – Iowa State                                                                   

Tampa is a big, physical outside corner that is built like a safety. He is best in zone coverage with an ability to read the QB well and track the ball. Tampa has adequate speed and can cover quickness underneath. He is a hard hitter which adds some value in run support and with stopping screens. Thanks to his build, Tampa is a durable player. His has a stiff backpedal with a bit of a slow turn due to sloppy and sluggish feet. Tampa could afford to play with some higher energy.

Player Comparison: Marlon Humphrey / Jamal Dean

Projection: 2^nd – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: San Francisco, New York Giants, Chicago (Wild Card – Tampa Bay)

6. Nate Wiggins – Clemson                                                                 

Wiggins impressed at the combine thanks to his length and straight-line speed. He is an outside corner that is best suited in a man heavy scheme. His long strides allow him to cover ground quickly which helps when trailing. He is fluid in his press bail technique and is great against vertical routes. Wiggins is aggressive at the catch point and he is able to consistently disrupt passes. He displays good eye discipline, his timing is excellent and he manages to create lots of bad throwing lanes. Wiggins does have a lack of initial burst and his backpedal and turn needs to get cleaned up. He is not a run stopper and with his lean build, Wiggins will need to put on more muscle in order to hold up against strong receivers.

Player Comparison: Rejzohn Wright / Paulson Adebo

Projection: 1^st – 2^nd Round

Best Fits: Carolina, Buffalo, Green Bay (Wild Card – Tennessee)

5. Terrion Arnold – Alabama                                                               

Arnold is an outside zone corner who is quick, nimble and displays great footwork and fluid hips. He has plenty of speed, plays confident and technical and he has some of the best ball skills in this class. Arnold is aggressive against screens and wraps up well as a tackler. He has managed to continue to trend in the right direction because he keeps getting better. In man coverage, Arnold gets too grabby and he can sometimes overcommit when the ball is in the air. He is not a physically imposing corner which means he may have some slot value. He is still developing as a slot though.

Player Comparison: Greg Newsome II / Trent McDuffie

Projection: 1^st – 2^nd Round

Best Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta, Los Angeles Chargers (Wild Card – Jacksonville)

4. Kool-Aid McKinstry – Alabama                                                     

McKinstry is a true outside press corner with good awareness in zone coverage as well. He possesses good length, is physical and has enough foot quickness to mirror wide receivers well. McKinstry plays the ball in the air and disrupts with his aggressive nature. Overall, he has plenty of poise and could also offer some return specialist value. McKinstry needs to deny the deep ball better and can improve against sharp breaks. Sometimes he bites on fakes, then grabs which draws flags.

Player Comparison: Martin Emerson Jr. / Joey Porter Jr.

Projection: Late 1^st – 3^rd Round

Best Fits: New Orleans, Philadelphia, Denver (Wild Card – Kansas City)

Watch as Cole unveils the top 3 – highlights included!